Field
The present invention relates generally to agricultural equipment. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention concern an agricultural work vehicle with a header adapter that enables quick attachment and detachment of a header.
Discussion of Prior Art
Windrowers and other self-propelled harvesters have long been used to harvest a crop. A conventional windrower includes a laterally extending header supported by the windrower chassis. As the windrower is advanced along a field, the header severs a swath of standing forage plants, such as grasses, alfalfa, wheat, etc. The header also collects the severed forage material and discharges the material rearwardly onto the ground in the form of a windrow that extends behind the windrower. Prior art windrowers can employ different types of headers, including sickle headers and rotating disc headers.
However, prior art windrowers have certain deficiencies. For instance, a conventional windrower chassis has a pair of lower lift arms and an upper cylinder that are connected to the header with manually secured bolts or pins. The conventional structure used to connect a windrower chassis to a header causes the header attachment and detachment processes to be difficult for an operator. In particular, the processes of header attachment and detachment for conventional windrowers is known to be time consuming and physically demanding for the operator.